Electrolytic cell



Aug. 20, 1935. A. c. JEPHsoN 2,011,638

ELECTROLYTIC CELL Filed July 23, 1934 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 20, 1935ELECTROLYTIC CELL Allen C. Jephson, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to NationalRadiator Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Application July 23,1934, Serial No. 736,530

4 Claims.

This invention relates to electrolytic cells, and more particularly tocells used for the deposit of metal in sheet form upon a rotatingcathode, and consists in features of structure by virtue of which thecell is rendered more effective for its intended purpose.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. I is a view in vertical and axialsection of an electrolytic cell in which the features of invention areincorporated; -Fig. II is a fragmentary view in elevation of that faceof the anode that stands opposed to the stripping surface of thecathode.

In a companion application of Allen C. Jephson and Ernest B. Custer, ledJuly 25, 1934, Serial No. 736,897, an electrolytic cell is shown anddescribed, and it is in and as a feature of the Jephson and Custer cellthat this invention has been conceived and applied, and in suchapplication it will be described.

The cell I, conveniently formed of concrete, is of annular shape, and isarranged with its axis in vertical alignment, its outer wall 3 and itsinner wall lrising from the bottom wall 5. The'inner wall becomes indeeda post of concrete with an axial bore 6, rising from the botton wall 5of the cell.

The anode consists of a body 'I of loose fragments of proper metallicmaterial, ordinarily scrapl iron or steel, retained by and between ametallic shield 'I0 (ordinarily a steel plate and preferably perforate)of cylindrical shape, and the outer wall 3 of the cell. The anode is soarranged that the electrolyte may circulate vertically downward throughthe permeable body of fragmentary material. To such end, the spacebetween the shield 10 and the cell wall is open above (that theelectrolyte overflowing the upper rim of the shield may gain access tothe space), while below, the compound anode structure rests upon acastellated` step 8, between the castella- -tions of which thecirculating electrolyte may have escape.

The cathode and anode, coaxially arranged, are rotatable one relativelyto the other; and to such end the structure` is conveniently specicallythat shown. The cathode structure includes a shaft I3, adapted in theassembly to extend vertically within the bore 6 of the central post 4 ofthe cell, arms I4 extending radially from the shaft, a cylindrical shellI5 carried by the arms, and a reception band I6 carried by the shell.The reception band I6, of smaller diameter, is arranged concentricallywithin the shield Ill of the anode, and at an interval froml mediatelyopposed, and in the operation ofthe cell the bath of electrolytesubmerges them both. The shaft I3 in its rotation carries with it theintegrally mounted reception band I6.

The shield 10 carries, projectingfrom itsinner 5 surface vand into thespace between it and the reception band I6 of the cathode, baiiles,conveniently in the form of strips 'II. These strips are formed ofinsulating material (conveniently of that phenolic resin known asbakelite), and 10 they extend obliquely, inclined upwardly in thedirection of rotation of the cathode. There are a plurality of them,advantageously a large number of them, sixteen or more, equally spacedaround the cylindrical extent of the shield 10. 15 So positioned, thesestrips have the effect of wing-dams, so that (the cell being filled withelectrolyte to or slightly above the common level of the upper edges ofthe shield 'I0 and the reception band I6) as the cathode rotates and by20 rotation sets the electrolyte to circulating, the circulating streamis deflected upwardly, with the consequence and effect that whileoperation continues electrolyte in relatively spent and exhaustedcondition is constantly overflowing the 25 upper rim of shield 10,streaming downward through the body of -loose andfragmentary anodematerial, and passing from beneath the shield to ow in refreshed andrenewed condition upwardly over the cathode surface. The 30 arrowsplaced upon the drawing indicate the circulating currents described, setup within the 1 body of electrolyte by the rotation of the cathode andin consequence of the baliies borne by the anode.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrolytic cell an anode and cathode provided severally withlinternal and external cylindrical faces arranged coaxially and withtheir cylindrical faces in vertically extending and 40 opposed positionsand spaced apart one from the other, one of the said members beingrotatable relatively to the other, the anode including a permeable bodyof fragmentary material accessible to the electrolyte from above, therelatively stationary member being provided with' bailles extending intothe space between the said members and inclined vertically upward in thedirection of such relative rotation. ,o

2. In an electrolytic cell an anode and a, catho ode provided severallywith internal and external cylindrical faces arranged coaxially and withtheir cylindrical faces inv vertically extending and opposed positionsand spaced apart one vfrom the other, the cathode being rotatablerelatively to the anode, and the anode including a permeable body offragmentary material accessible to the electrolyte from above, and theanode being provided with baiiles extending from its cylindrical faceinto the space `between the said members and inclined vertically upwardin the direction of such relative rotation.

3. In an electrolytic installation, a ce1l a vertically standingcylindrical shield arranged Within the cell and spaced from the wall ofrthe cell and adapted to form with the cell wall a receptacle forfragmentary anode material, the arrangement being permissive of thecirculation of electrolyte over the 'upper edge and beneath the loweredge of the shield, and a rotating cathode arranged within the cellcoaxially of and at an interval from said shield, the said shield beingprovided with bailes inclined upwardly in the direction of cathoderotation and extending into the interval at which the cathode is spacedfrom the shield.

4. In an electrolytic installation, a cell, a vertically standingcylindrical metallic shield arranged within the cell and spaced from thewall of the cell and adapted to form with the cell wall a receptacle'forfragmentary anode material, the arrangement being permissive ofelectrolyte circulation over the upper edge and beneath the lower edgeof the shield, and a rotating cathode arranged within the cellcoaxially/,with

'and inwardly beneath the lower edgethereof.

ALLEN C. JEPHSON.

